Nut-lock.



Patented Nov. 20, I900.

R. M. READE.

NUT LOCK.

(No Model.)

AAAA AAAAAAAA AAAAAAA UNTTE STATES ATnNT Trice.

RALPH MAYNE READE, OF QUEBEC, CANADA.

NUT-LOCK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 662,023, datedNovember 20, 1900. I

Application filed September 20, 1900v Serial No. 30,592. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that l, RALPH MAYNE READE, a subject of Her Majesty theQueen of Great Britain, residing in the city and district of Quebec,Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Nut-Locks; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same.

My invention relates to improvements in nut-locks; and the primaryobject is to provide a simple construction which will positively preventthe slackening or loosening of nuts on screw key-bolts of everydescription irrespective of the use of the bolt such as when used forrailway-joints, in machines generally, in carriages and vehicles, and instoves and other structuresand also irrespective of the style of thebolt, such as a screw-headed bolt, a T-headed bolt, an I- bolt, duo.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved form of keywhich will not only securely lock the nut from turning on the bolt, butwhich will also hold itself against displacement in the bolt, andthereby contribute to the security of the lock, because the key cannotfall down or drop out of the bolt after its insertion therein when thenut is in place nor can the key be jarred or displaced in an upwarddirection. Furthermore, the peculiar configuration and construction ofthe key facilitate its easy insertion into the bolt, while at the sametime the key can be withdrawn by the use of a hammer and drift withoutdestroying the nut or key-bolt itself, a peculiarity of my inventionconsisting in the secure locking of the nut by a-key which does not inany way destroy or mutilate the threaded point of the bolt.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the drawings hereto annexed and forming a part of this specification,Figure 1 is a side elevation of anut-lock embodying my improvements andillustrating parts in operative position. Fig. 2 isa plan view of thebolt and the nut before the insertion of the locking-key. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of the key removed from the bolt or the nut.Fig. 4 is a side view in elevation of the improved key; and Fig. 5 is arear view, also in elevation, of the key.

The same numerals of reference denote cor responding parts in each ofthe several figures of the drawings.

10 designates an ordinary bolt, and 11 is an ordinary nut adapted to bescrewed on the threaded part of said bolt. The slot 12 is cutlongitudinally in the threaded part of the bolt, and the nut is designedto be screwed in place, so as to have its outer face terminate adjacentto the inner terminal of the slot in order that the improved key of myinvention may properly engage with said front face of the nut and thefront terminal or wall of the slot 12. This key is made from a singlepiece of metal in any manner preferred by the skilled constructor, andit consists of the shank 13 and the head 14. Said shank tapers in twodirections both in Width and thicknessthat is to say, he side faces ofthe shank are inclined slightly, so as to converge from the head towardthe free end of the key, and the front and back edges of said shank alsoincline somewhat, thus producing the desired taper from the head towardthe free end of said key, all as more clearly shown by Figs. 3 to 5,inclusive. The back edge 15 of the key is a straight line, whereas thefront edge 16 presents a wavy line or irregular curvature, although saidwavy front edge has the desired general inclination heretoforementioned. The bottom edge of the keyinclines forwardly and npwardly,-asat 17, from the straight back edge 15 toward the wavy front edge 16.

One of the peculiarities of myim proved key is the provision of aplurality of rasp-like or alligator teeth 17 on the straight back edge15 of the key, said teeth extending generally in upwardlyinclineddirections from said back face or edge 15. These teeth may be forced outof the metal by any suitable means, or they may be struck up along withthe key by dies in the process of manufacture of the invention.Furthermore, the teeth may be arranged in regular rows or series, asshown by the drawings, or they may be produced indiscriminatel y on theback edge 15 at the election of the skilled constructor. The head 14 hasits back edge flush with the straight edge 15 of the key; but the frontedge of this head is extended on curved or rounded lines, as at 18,beyond the Wavy front edge of the keyshank. The thickness of the headexceeds that of the sh ankin order to form the shoulders 19, thatproject beyond the side faces of the key-shank and which serve to limitthe movement of the key in the slot 12 of the bolt when the parts areremoved.

The key of my invention is designed to be manufactured in differentsizes and in accordance with the construction shown more clearly byFigs. 3 to 5, inclusive. In utilizing the improvements at key should beselected which will exceed in width the length of theslot between thefront terminal or wall thereof and the front face of the nut afterthelatter shall have been screwed on the bolt to rest firmly against thework. The beveled end 17 of the key is first inserted in the slot, andthe key should be. forced home until its teeth 17 have proper engagementwith the front face of the nut,while the wavy front edge 16 bindsagainstthe front terminal or wall of the key-slot 12. It will be noted that thekey holds itself in place in the slotted bolt by a wedging action whichis due to that taper that is given to the key-shank, and at the sametime said key has a positive locking engagement with the nut, owing tothe presence of the inclined teeth 17 on the clean-cut back edge 15 ofthe keyshank. Some of the inclined key-teeth engage frictionally withthe fiat front face of the nut, while one or more of said inclined teethhave proper engagement with the under edge of the nut, so as topositively restrain the latter from turning in an opposite direction onthe bolt, whereby the nut will be held securelyin place under allconditions of service of the improvement. The peculiar shape of the key,having in addition the alligator teeth on its back edge, insuressecurity of the key in the bolt, because the back edge and theslightly-waved front edge converge somewhat, and the side faces alsoconverge,so as to give the key the form of a wedge, whereby the key whendriven into the bolt frictionally engages with the walls of the slot 12.This prevents any possibility of the key moving in an upward direction,while the head of the key being larger than the shank thereof said headprevents the key from falling out or moving downward. The key is ofsolid construction and slightly tapered toward its free end, whichconstruction facilitates the insertion of the key easily into the bolt;The use of my improvement does not in any way destroy the thread on thebolt or in the nut, and said key can be withdrawn by the operation of ahammer and drift.

My improvements are especially useful on hanger-hooks and on thebrake-shafts of electric cars, because the nut cannot by any possibilitybecome displaced. The improve ment, furthermore, does away with the nowcommon method of employing double nuts on bolts, one of which nutsserves as a checknut for the other, and said improvement also obviatesthe necessity of burring the bolt, thus prolonging the life of thelatter.

Changes within the scope of the appended claims may be made in the formand proportion of some of the parts, whiletheir essential features areretained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence I do notdesire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shownreserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is- 1. In anut-lock, the combination with a headed bolt, and a not, of a key havinga tapering shank formed with a straight back edge and a wavy front edge,and a series of upwardly-inclined teeth projecting from said straightback edge of the key-shank, whereby the teeth are adapted to positivelyand frictionally engage with the nut and the wavy front edge of the keybinds against the front terminal of the slot in the bolt, substantiallyas described.

2. In a nut-lock, a headed key having a shank which tapers both in widthand thickness from the head thereof toward the point, and is providedwith a straight back edge and a wavy front edge, and a plurality ofteeth extending upwardly from said straight back edge of the key-shank,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twowitnesses.

RALPH AYNE' READE.

Witnesses:

HORACE RICHARDSON GOODDAY, HUBERT CLIFFORD F035.

